


Accident

by Thevoidbetweenus



Series: Accidents Happen [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: AU: Sasuke never left the village, Angst, Canon Typical Violence, Fluff and Angst, Hallucinations, Illness, M/M, Original male character is the villain!, Shikamaru is a terrible caretaker but he's trying his best, Somewhat graphic depiction of broken bones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 22:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18559075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thevoidbetweenus/pseuds/Thevoidbetweenus
Summary: Shino gives his hand a squeeze.  “Just don’t drop me from another tree, and I’m pretty sure you can’t screw up too badly,” he comments wryly, making Shikamaru groan rather dramatically.“It was an accident!”----Shikamaru gets stuck on a mission with Shino and Sasuke.  Utter disaster ensues.





	Accident

**Author's Note:**

> This became a lot longer than originally planned (it was supposed to be like 4k max). There will be a follow up fic or two, but I've got a hankering for some other pairings right now so I'm leaving it as is for now! 
> 
> It's an AU where Sasuke never left the village and is actually a pretty decent friend. I made up my own villain because I imagine this as a filler episode of sorts. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Shikamaru supposes he shouldn’t be surprised that he’s been put in charge of the mission to track down yet another escaped criminal who was evidently trying to destroy a shrine - but he is.

 

Well - perhaps that isn’t entirely accurate.  He’s more surprised by who has been assigned to his team this time.  Shino Aburame and Sasuke Uchiha, of all people. Apparently, their unique blend of talents would help catch the so-called “Clumsy Ninja” quickly and efficiently.  Shino would be able to track him down, Shikamaru could catch him in his shadow jutsu, and Sasuke could quickly take him out.

 

That’s how it was  _ supposed  _ to go. 

 

Apparently, the moron behind this set-up didn’t take into account that Sasuke is a selfish asshole, Shino is an awkward recluse, and Shikamaru doesn’t care enough to try to make them play nice.  It didn’t help that their target - his real name is Eikichi Maita, but calling him the Clumsy Ninja is way more fun - is proving difficult to track.

 

They’re walking through the woods together, Sasuke complaining about something-or-another (Shikamaru is pretty sure he’s whining about all the attention women give him), and Shino sniffling every so often.  Why the hell is he sniffling like that, anyway? What. A. Drag.

 

“Listen, can you shut up for a second?  I’m trying to hear my own thoughts.” Shikamaru lights a cigarette and takes a long drag, shoving his other hand in his pocket.  “Besides, we’re supposed to be being stealthy.”

 

Sasuke sighs and he crosses his arms.  “Hn...we can’t be stealthy with the constant sniffles anyway,” he grumbles, though he does fall quiet.  Perhaps it had been his well-intentioned, poorly executed attempt to make things less awkward. Whatever, Shikamaru isn’t really interested in doing that anyway.  

 

Shino purses his lips.  “My apologies,” he says.  “It is because of allergies, I believe.”  He rubs his nose with a tissue from his pocket then he pulls his hood up.  “I will attempt to limit it.” Some of his insects are buzzing lazily around him, almost as in a haze.  Shikamaru’s brows furrow a little - he doesn’t remember this happening on any of his other missions with Shino, but he shrugs it off and takes another drag from his cigarette.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Sasuke just keeps walking, not hiding his displeasure but not saying anything else.  Shino’s sniffs become less frequent in nature, and Shikamaru stamps out his cigarette after smoking it down to the butt. 

 

“So - what do we know about this guy?” Sasuke asks in another attempt to make conversation.  Shikamaru scowls.

 

“Weren’t you listening when we were briefed?”

 

“Yes, I was!  I just wanted to hear your take,  _ team leader _ .”

 

With a heavy sigh, Shikamaru obliges.  “Fine. The guy is called the Clumsy Ninja.  He’s apparently got some pretty nasty jutsu, based on the amount of nin he’s been able to kill.  He’s on his way to destroy a shrine of Good Health and Luck.”

 

“It is the silent killing technique,” Shino adds, “though we do not entirely know what it does.  That is because the Leaf has not had much experience fighting him.”

 

Sasuke nods curtly, saying nothing further.  He runs a hand through his hair and he walks ahead of them, seemingly no longer interesting in making nice.  As they walk, an awkward silence blanketing them, Sasuke feels a branch snap beneath his feet. 

 

The entire forest goes silent.  

 

Sasuke tries to back up a step but finds his foot trapped in the grip of a white hand.  His eyes g o wide.  “Ambush!”

 

Shikamaru immediately takes a defensive stance, casting out twin-prongs of shadow.  Shino stands beside him, holding a kunai. Some insects buzz around him, but he doesn’t seem to be readying them.  The hand relinquishes Sasuke’s ankle as it grips the ground instead, and a man pulls himself out of the ground, shaking off the dirt.

 

He is paper white, with a shock of blue hair and wild green eyes.  One eye drifts towards them, while the other remains staring at the sky.  His thin lips are spread across his teeth into a smile, and as he stands there, his jumpsuit turns from the color and pattern of the forest floor to pure black.  “Why hello, friends from Konoha,” he greets, though his tone implies something altogether  _ unfriendly.   _ Shikamaru watches his every move, unhappy to discover that the man isn’t casting a shadow.

 

“Identify yourself,” Sasuke demands, showing his sharingan and staring down the newcomer.  This elicits a laugh.

 

“Eikichi Maita, at your service,” he offers them a mock bow, his saccharine grin only growing.  Sasuke’s eyes narrow, Shikamaru allows his own shadow to creep forward, and Shino keeps his kunai raised.  “I must say, I was surprised to learn that the Hidden Leaf sent a team to retrieve me! I was utterly fascinated when they sent you three…” he rubs his chin.  “Especially the Aburame! A real life Aburame...how I’d like to see those pretty eyes of yours!”

 

Shikamaru grits his teeth.  “He’s trying to elicit a reaction,” he mutters, his hands balling into fists.  Sasuke glares at Eikichi, both sensing Shino tense up.

 

“You will not get the chance.  That is because I do not remove my glasses for just anyone, and we will be defeating you anyway.”

 

The three leaf nin surround their opponent, who seems relatively unbothered by this.  Sasuke makes the first move. “Chidori!”

 

Eikichi dodges, one eye remaining trained on them while the other is searching for a way out, his body twisting unnaturally and threatening to make him fall.   Shikamaru surmises this is how he obtained his title. The rogue ninja offers them a wink as he drops to the ground, then he fades into it.

 

Shikamaru grits his teeth, attempting to spread out a large circle of shadow to determine where he went, but he isn’t fast enough.  He emerges behind Sasuke, who, to his credit, is not caught entirely off guard. His sword is drawn and he manages to counter the strike that could have taken him out.  “Hm...maybe you’re a little better than I thought!” Sasuke whirls around and he slashes his sword, eyes bright red with his sharingan. Eikichi’s body twists and bends around it, giggling delightedly and clapping his yellow-gloved hands.  “Yes, keep trying, keep trying! This is so much fun.”

 

“Shut up!” Sasuke’s foot connects with the other man’s rubbery torso briefly, but Eikichi falls back onto the ground.  

 

“Hm...we’ll have to play more next time, boys!” He laughs again and he offers them a wave before dissolving into the ground.

 

Sasuke slashes at the grass in hopes of finding him, but he has no luck.  Shikamaru groans and he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Great, he got away.  What a drag.”

 

“Why didn’t you surround him with your bugs or something?” Sasuke turns to look at Shino, his voice not quite angry but tense.  “Isn’t that what you’re here for?”

 

“They were not ready for a full scale attack.  That is because they would have had to surround him entirely,” Shino replies.  “You will likely be pleased to know that we will be able to find him. Why? Because a female insect was placed on him, and the males will be able to track her and thus him.”  

 

Shikamaru nods.  “Good work.” It troubles him that Shino hadn’t used the kikaichu more effectively, but he doesn’t question it for now.  “We’ll keep going for a little then establish camp.”

 

“I will keep watch.  I will be able to sense if he comes nearby,” Shino says, falling into step behind Shikamaru, who is allowing Sasuke to lead the way.  

 

“You sure?” Sasuke glances behind him for a moment.  “You still sound kind of stuffy, we can keep the first watch if you want to get some sleep.”  

 

“It’s a drag, but I don’t mind taking the first watch,” Shikamaru shrugs as he walks along.  Shino frowns but he doesn’t say much else, falling silent and just accepting it for now.

 

* * *

 

Shino sits in front of the tent that currently houses sleeping Sasuke and Shikamaru.  His sunglasses remain on and his shoulders are slumped - he is truly exhausted, despite getting a few hours of rest.  He rubs his nose and he sniffles. He feels absolutely terrible. His insects buzz about him lazily; he doesn’t have full control over them when he’s sick, though this is truly a bad time for it considering his techniques would work very well against their opponent.  Furrowing his brows, he attempts to have them swarm. To his dismay, they do not follow his instructions, instead scattering around the tent. He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. This is certainly not ideal. 

 

He glances back at the tent momentarily, chewing on his lip.  He’s worried for his companions - this rogue ninja is certainly not one to mess with, based upon his techniques today.  He runs a hand through his hair then coughs into his sleeve.

 

“Are you sick?”

 

The voice almost makes him jump out of his skin.  He turns to see Sasuke Uchiha peering out of the tent, eyes dull and sleepy.  “Hm?”

 

“You’re sick, aren’t you,” Sasuke doesn’t make it a question this time.  He climbs out of the tent and he rubs his eyes, taking a seat next to Shino and crossing his arms.  “You should get some more rest.”

 

“...It is my turn to keep watch,” Shino replies, avoiding his gaze.  “I will be fine.”

 

“Hn.”  Sasuke frowns and he shakes his head.  “Why did you come if you’re not feeling well?”  It isn’t accusatory - Shino thinks that it might be concern.  It’s hard to tell with Sasuke - he might not be the most typical Uchiha, but he sure is hard to read.

 

“Shikamaru,” is his quiet response, his cheeks heating a bit as he looks away.  “I rarely get to see him. That is because we are usually on different teams. So, when the opportunity came…”

 

“I see.”  Sasuke nods, looking up at the sky now.  “I can take watch again. I don’t mind. Maybe you’ll feel better with some rest.  Besides...you’d be closer to him that way.”

 

Shino looks a bit embarrassed and he frowns.  “...I’m fine,” he says curtly. Sasuke chuckles.

 

“My lips are sealed, relax.”  He elbows Shino lightly, a small smile on his face.  “If you really want to keep watch the rest of the night, I’ll go back to bed.  At least drink some water though.” He gives Shino a nod then crawls back into the tent, leaving him alone to contemplate for the rest of the evening.

 

* * *

 

“I have Eikichi Maita pinpointed, and I believe he has been following us.  He is currently seven kilometers away from us, in that direction,” Shino points off into the woods.  “Shall we decide on a course of action?”

 

“Hm…” Shikamaru rubs his chin thoughtfully.  “Well, normal attacks don’t work on this guy,” he sighs dramatically and he leans his head back to look at the sky.  “How annoying. We’ll have to approach it differently.”

 

“I think I can work as a pretty good distraction,” Sasuke offers, smirking a little.  “He might be able to dodge me for the most part, but I can keep him busy at least.”

 

“And while you do that, I can trap him in his shadow,” Shikamaru nods.  “You keep him pinned with your insects when the time comes, Shino.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Sasuke flashes a brief glare at Shino, who responds with nothing but a thinly pressed frown.  “Well, we’ll do our best to make sure that’s not necessary.”

 

Shikamaru quirks a brow.  “That doesn’t really make sense, though.  The reason Shino was assigned to the squad is because his insects are perfect against this guy.”  His eyes narrow a bit - it’s suspicious that Sasuke is being so nice all of a sudden, really. What did those two get up to last night?

 

“I will need a bit of time to prepare, but I will be able to assist you,” Shino assures, glancing towards Sasuke with furrowed brows.  The Uchiha sighs and he rolls his eyes, but he says nothing more for now. Shikamaru senses the tension but he doesn’t comment, not really wanting to open that bag of worms and instead standing up.  If they aren’t getting along, he’s more than okay with it.

 

“Guess we should get moving, then.  It’s a drag, but we should probably head to the shrine and set up a defensive position there.”

 

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best,” Sasuke agrees, and Shikamaru can’t help but be surprised at how congenial he is being.  Shino says nothing, simply nodding. Sasuke stands, holding out a hand to the Aburame who takes it gratefully to haul himself up.  Shikamaru momentarily feels something he vaguely recognizes as jealousy, but he shakes it off and shoves his hands into his pockets.  He can’t exactly place  _ why  _ he feels jealous anyway - shouldn’t he be glad that his teammates are doing the whole team thing?  Still, it bothers him more than it (probably) should that Shino accepts help from the damn Uchiha before him.  Hmph.

 

“Let’s go.  No time to waste.”

 

* * *

 

The shrine is run-down and dirty in Sasuke’s humble opinion, and he wonders for possibly the thousandth time why they’re even bothering to protect it.  Yeah, clearly the Maita guy needs to be taken out, but this shrine wouldn’t really be such a loss. He doubts that it truthfully brings health and good fortune.  He shifts in his position leaning on a pillar that looks like it might crumble at any moment, careful not to be responsible for that himself. 

 

He sighs impatiently.  “When is this guy going to show up, anyway?”

 

“He is approximately 2 kilometers to our east,” Shino says, nearly startling Sasuke out of his skin.  He is hiding in the nearby brush, barely visible but for the glint of his sunglasses. 

 

“He probably knows we’re waiting for him,” Sasuke sighs and he runs a hand through his hair, shifting to crouch.  “Since he’s out of earshot - why aren’t you telling Shikamaru that you’re sick? I can tell you’re having to expend more chakra to control your insects than usual, you look absolutely exhausted.”

 

“It is because I don’t want him to worry,” is the answer.  The Uchiha shoots a glare at him over his shoulder. “And do not worry for me, Sasuke.  I will be fine, you know.”

 

“That’s stupid.  If you like him, you should show him that you trust him enough to tell him you’re not feeling well.”  

 

Shino doesn’t respond at first, his cheeks flushing pink.  “...once the mission is over…” he mumbles, shaking his head.  He falls silent once Shikamaru walks up to them holding a canteen of water.

 

“Either of you want any?” he offers, taking a sip and only half-screwing the lid back on.  Sasuke shakes his head, eyes scanning the surrounding trees for signs of movement.

 

“No thank you,” Shino responds.  His gaze shifts to the woods as well.  “He is coming.”

 

Sasuke stands up straight, sharingan already raring and ready to go.  He keeps a hand on the hilt of his chakra blade, a smirk spreading across his lips.  He is aching for a proper fight. Shikamaru tightens the cap on the canteen and he tosses it aside for the time being.  He scales a tree with relative ease, eyes narrowed in concentration as he waits for the right moment to descend.

 

Eikichi Maita strolls out of the woods, a smirk on his face as he approaches Sasuke.  “Where did your friends go, little Uchiha?” he asks, lips spread in an eerie smile. His eyes twitch in a mismatched manner, making the other nin shudder a bit.  “Think you can take me out alone?”

 

Sasuke draws his sword, eyes narrowed as he takes a few steps forward.  “The real question is: can you take  _ me  _ out?” He holds back from charging - he wants to, but that isn’t part of the plan.  No, draw Maita in. The Clumsy Ninja grins and he runs forward, swaying off balance and melting into the ground once he falls.  Having seen this trick once, Sasuke hops off of the ground and onto one of the conveniently-stacked crates (they had come prepared, this time), pressing his back to the crumbling stone wall.  

“Clever boy!” Eikichi emerges to Sasuke’s left, lunging forward with a kunai in hand.  The Uchiha dodges, grabbing onto his opponent’s arm and pushing forward to kick him in the chest.  He feels his foot connect, but Eikichi’s body wraps around him to avoid it, one green eye trained on the chakra blade.  Sasuke ends up flying past him, landing on his feet and skidding to a halt. He whips around just as the other ninja attempts to stab him in the back, their blades clashing and sending Eikichi’s kunai flying.

 

Shikamaru has already descended from his tree, creeping forward towards where Sasuke and Eikichi are battling.  He stops at a distance safe for himself but close enough to capture their target in shadow. He gets a feeling that something isn’t quite right - why would the rogue nin attack with such little caution?  Their plan is going a bit too well.

 

Eikichi wiggles his way out of each of Sasuke’s strikes, but the Uchiha is succeeding in pushing the rogue right to the location they’d planned on.  Soon, Shino would send in his insects, and the mission would be complete. 

 

Sasuke grits his teeth and rams forward, surprising the rogue nin just enough to push him into the pinpoint of shadow Shikamaru needs.  Shikamaru grins as he pins Eikichi down, stepping forward a few paces the kneeling down. “Gotcha.”

 

Eikichi’s eyes go wide and he stares at Shikamaru and Sasuke incredulously.  “No way rookies like you could trap me!” Shikamaru hears the rustling of bushes and he turns around in confusion - Shino was supposed to send out insects, not come out himself.  Yet, here he is, lips pressed into a thin line. Shikamaru senses his determination and he tilts his head in confusion until Eikichi Maita’s head surfaces, followed by his torso, and...oh, shit.  He cannot react in time, his eyes wide.

 

“Silent killing technique!” Eikichi cries, thrusting upwards and aiming right for the shadow nin’s back.  Shikamaru watches as Shino jumps in front of him, vaguely recognizing the glint of a kunai that appears to pierce through his stomach.  Some insects fly out of the wound, and Shino grits his teeth. 

 

“Behind you.”

 

Shikamaru turns back and he watches as the Eikichi that he had trapped melts into a puddle of goo - a clone.  He wavers for a moment as he realizes just how close to death he had been - he’s only here because of Shino’s quick thinking.  But how had he known…?   _Oh.  The female beetle.  He'd been able to track the real Eikichi all along._

 

“Hidden jutsu: beetle cloud,” he hears Shino say, interrupting his thoughts, and a flurry of insects fly out of his sleeves.  Sasuke turns away from the melted clone and his eyes widen almost imperceptibly, before he rushes forward to rejoin the fray.

 

“Chidori!” He shouts as he plunges ahead.  Eikichi swerves out of the way only to find himself surrounded by insects - his panic is evident in the way his eyes flicker about in opposite directions.  Shino sends more and more, his brows furrowing and a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face. 

 

Shikamaru shakes off his daze and he releases his jutsu momentarily, turning to face the rogue nin and casting once again.  With the insect swarm growing larger and larger, surrounding them all entirely, there is no more escape for Eikichi. The shadow connects with him, the real one this time, and keeps him trapped.  “Nice work,” Shikamaru says, his brows knit as he wraps the shadows around Eikichi’s wrists, his ankles, his waist.

 

Sasuke nods, though his gaze is trained firmly on Shino now.  The Aburame’s hands are balled into fists and his teeth are clenched as he sends out more insects, determined to keep the Clumsy Ninja surrounded in case he gets free.  As he watches, something changes. As if the strings holding him up snap, Shino crumples to the ground, his head slamming with a dull thud. Shikamaru watches as the insect swarm dives down, turning his head in surprise.  When he realizes that  _ Shino  _  has collapsed his concentration breaks, and Eikichi takes the opportunity to get free of the shadows.

 

“Enjoy having a team of two, silly Konoha nin!” He calls before falling and melting into the ground once more. 

 

“Take Shino back to the village.  I will handle Eikichi,” Sasuke says without hesitation, sheathing his sword.  

 

“Wh-”

 

“He is sick, Shikamaru.  He used way too much chakra, and he’s probably injured on top of that.   _ Take him home. _ ”

 

Shikamaru glares at the Uchiha.  “I don’t take orders from you.”  _ Shino, sick?  Surely he would’ve said something.  No way he would tell Sasuke and not him. _

 

“Do you want him to die?”

 

At this, Shikamaru looks down at his fallen companion.  Shino is far too pale, a sheen of sweat on his forehead, and the insects crawling back into his skin don’t exactly make him a pretty picture.  Plus, they still don’t know the status of his injury. Maybe Sasuke is right, as loathe as he is to admit it.

 

“We don’t have time for this!” Sasuke snaps.  “Take him to Konoha. I’m not going to lose this guy because you’re being an idiot, and I don’t exactly want Shino to die either.”  He scowls. “Just go.” With that, the Uchiha charges into the woods, vanishing from sight not long after.

 

Shikamaru groans.  “What a drag…” he mutters, though looking down at Shino’s pained face, he knows he must do as Sasuke told him.  He definitely needs help.

 

* * *

 

Shino is harder to carry than he looks.  Shikamaru gives up after a few hours of hauling him, and decides to set up a little camp instead so they can hopefully recoup just a little bit.  He cloaks them the best he can in the darkness of night, trying to make Shino as comfortable as possible in their little tent. He removes the glasses and takes down his hood to feel his forehead - oh yeah, he’s burning up.  The other man stirs, and Shikamaru gets his first look at Shino’s eyes.

 

It’s not exactly how he hoped to see them, but they are undeniably beautiful.  Multicolored browns, shining and holding almost a sense of innocence. “Shikamaru...are you alright?  He did not touch you, did he?”

 

“Tsk…” Shikamaru rolls his eyes.  “I’m not the one who should be answering that question, but I’m fine.”  His expression softens. “What about you?”

 

Shino starts to answer but is cut off by a wet-sounding cough.  Some blood leaks from the corner of his mouth, but he hastily wipes it away.  “I am fine,” he manages, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to block out the pain.  “I...can try to keep watch…”

 

The other man pinches the bridge of his nose.  “Oh, shut up. You’re not keeping watch. We both need some rest, we’ll be fine tonight.  I’ve got us hidden pretty well.” His tone may be harsh, but his concern is thinly veiled.  “Sasuke told me you weren’t feeling well to begin with. Why didn’t you say something?”

 

“I didn’t want to worry you,” is his quiet answer, his eyes slowly opening again.  “I am fine anyways.”

 

“You exhausted a lot of chakra trying to control your kikaichu in that state,” Shikamaru says, chewing on his lip.  “And you took that hit for me,” he adds after a few moments of contemplation. “Let me see and try to help the best I can.”

 

Shino hastily shakes his head.  “No, I am fine. That is because I...only pretended to get hurt.”

 

“That’s why you’re coughing blood, right?”

 

He has no answer for that one, instead sighing in resignation.  “Alright,” he mumbles.

 

Shikamaru is tentative in peeling away the layers of Shino’s clothing, one by one.  What if there are insects crawling everywhere…? He reminds himself that it won’t really be a big deal if that is the case, but he is much relieved to find smooth skin in place of the thousands of creepy crawlies he had conjured in his mind.  In fact, he’s rather attractive. He feels his cheeks heat up a little until his gaze drifts down.

 

The wound is, admittedly, pretty bad.  A gaping hole in Shino’s stomach, the skin around it blackening and festering with something that Shikamaru guesses is poison.  Not good. He touches the skin above the wound to gauge Shino’s reaction, and quickly withdraws upon hearing the hiss of pain. “We have to get you home right away.”

 

“No kidding,” is the somewhat deapan response.  Shikamaru frowns, shifting a little to rummage through his bag.  He pulls out bandages and some disinfectant (it might not do much, but maybe it will help just a little bit?).

 

“This might hurt,” He warns.  Carefully, he pulls Shino into a sitting position, trying to ignore his pained wheezes.  He wraps the bandages tight around the injured man’s stomach after spreading some disinfectant on both sides of the wound.  Once that is finished, he helps Shino back into his undershirt, then allows him to lay back down.

 

“Do we have any blankets?” Shino asks, coughing into his elbow and wincing.  

 

“Unfortunately not,” Shikamaru rubs the back of his neck.  “Sorry, Shino. If you want, I can try to help.”

 

“I do not want to get you sick…”

 

Shikamaru ignore this, rolling his eyes.  He lays down next to Shino and wraps his arms around his waist, tugging him close.  “Just smack me or something if you get too hot.”

 

Shino’s cheeks flush faintly and he tenses for a moment (and Shikamaru is  _ very  _ nervous for that moment) before relaxing.  He closes his eyes and he curls up to his companion, drifting off to sleep almost immediately.  Shikamaru breathes a sigh of relief and he threads his fingers through Shino’s hair. He looks peaceful in his sleep, at least.  Perhaps the pain has dulled a bit. 

 

* * *

 

“I can try to walk myself,” Shino protests as Shikamaru picks him up bridal style the next morning.

 

“Don’t worry about it - I’ve got you,” Shikamaru assures, holding him close and offering a little smile.  “You shouldn’t expend too much energy while you’re hurt, alright? It might be a drag to carry you but I don’t mind.”

 

Shino sighs and he resigns himself to his fate, clutching to the front of Shikamaru’s vest.  He is jostled by the other ninja jumping from tree to tree, but he keeps his eyes shut behind the glasses.  He can’t look right now, he thinks he might hurl. Something hasn’t felt quite right - he’s got a sneaking suspicion it’s poison, but he isn’t feeling the effects too strongly yet.  He allows himself to drift off in Shikamaru’s arms, a little smile on his face.

 

Several hours into the journey, Shikamaru feels his eyes drooping a bit.  He shakes himself out of it, determined to keep going -  _ must get Shino home.   _ In his distraction, however, he feels his ankle get caught on a branch.  He lets out a surprised cry, his eyes going wide as Shino is launched from his arms.  He manages to catch himself and land on the ground with nothing more than a few scrapes.  

 

He hears a sickening crunch as Shino falls, along with a small cry.  “Fuck-”

 

Ignoring the fact that he’s never heard Shino swear before, Shikamaru runs over to him and turns him onto his back.  This isn’t good. It’s very bad, in fact. What’s he done? “What’s broken?”

 

Shino grips at his leg, the fractured bone partially sticking out of his flesh.  “Take a wild guess,” he grits out. Alright, no one is immune to grouchiness when they’re injured, not even Shino, and it was admittedly a facile question.  He can feel the glare, despite the sunglasses being on.

 

“Uh...right.  Well, um - okay.  We’ll figure something out…” Shikamaru runs a hand through his hair, kneeling next to Shino and chewing on his lip.  He’s shaking a little, resisting the temptation to pull Shino close and never let go because holy shit, if he’d landed even a little differently he could have broken his back or his skull and the he’d be responsible for  _ the murder of an injured teammate, the murder of his crush to boot -  _

 

Shino doesn’t respond, gritting his teeth.  “Damn, this hurts,” he hisses, some tears welling in his eyes.  “We...need to stop for awhile, and rest.” He’s really trying not to sound like a jerk, but it’s hard.  “You will have to carry me again once we do get going. Why? Because clearly I can’t  _ walk _ anymore.  This could have been avoided had you simply let me walk myself,” he snaps.  It doesn’t feel as good as he had hoped it would.

 

Shikamaru grimaces and he rubs the back of his neck.  “I’m real sorry, Shino. I didn’t mean to drop you, it was an accident and I probably should’ve stopped sooner-”

 

“I know,” he interjects sharply.  “That is because if you had purposely dropped me, I would have to kill you.”  The pained expression on Shikamaru’s face doesn’t bring him any satisfaction, but it’s a little hard to feel bad as he normally would with the unbearable pain shooting up his thigh.

 

Shikamaru doesn’t think he’s kidding.  He swallows and he twiddles his thumbs until Shino coughs violently into his elbow, staining his sleeve with blood.  This snaps him back into reality and he realizes he really needs to hurry the hell up. “Alright. I’m going to set up our tent.  You just, uh - you just stay there.”

 

“Obviously, you idiot,” Shino practically spits, holding onto his leg and biting back tears.  Maybe he’ll let them spill once they’re in the tent.

 

The other nin cringes - the insult is probably deserved - then he pitches the tent.  He rolls out one of the beds and lays down pillows, then he goes to Shino and hooks his arms under his own.  “I’m going to be as careful as I can, but this will probably make it worse. I’m sorry.” He drags Shino to the tent, trying to ignore the multitudinous insects that have begun to swarm him.  He pulls his teammate inside and lays him on the bedroll, gingerly setting his broken leg to rest on a pillow, then he lets out a sharp cry of pain and swats at his arm. “The hell!”

 

“Sorry, they are quite agitated,” Shino grits out, removing his sunglasses.  He looks paler than he did yesterday, and the dark circles under his eyes are quite pronounced.  Shikamaru looks down at the offending beetle on his arm. It flies away as soon as he looks, much to his relief.  “I’m sure you can imagine why.” Shikamaru’s gaze drifts up to Shino’s eyes. They are still absolutely breathtaking, but there’s something within them tonight that he is unable to place.

 

“Ye...yeah,” he shudders a little and he rolls out his own bed.  “Alright, well, we should probably get some sleep,” he lays down and closes his eyes.  He turns away from the other nin, afraid he would see a threatening swarm of bugs if he dares to look over, even if he could stare into his eyes all night.

 

“Mm.  Sleep tight,  _ don’t let the bed bugs bite.” _

 

That sounds a little more like a threat than Shikamaru likes.   _ Oh boy. _

 

* * *

 

Shino opens his eyes, sitting up as best as he can.  He grimaces at the pain, coughing and running a shaky hand through his spiky hair.  

 

“Finally up, are you?”  Shikamaru’s tone is cold, and he’s staring at Shino with dull brown eyes.  “About time. Keep watch for awhile, I need to sleep.” He lays down and turns away.

 

“What?”

 

“Keep watch.  I need sleep.”  He glares over his shoulder at Shino then he closes his eyes.  Shino frowns.

 

“Okay,” he says quietly.  The wind blows the tent flaps, and his attention drifts to them.  There is a hand. His eyes go wide and the buzzing of the kikaichu around him grows louder.  “Who’s there?” he demands, some beetles crawling out of his face and towards the offender.

 

“Who’s asking?”   Shino is unable to look away as the tent flaps part, revealing Sasuke Uchiha.  Their eyes meet. “...Oh. It’s just you…” he chuckles darkly. “No wonder I didn’t recognize your voice…”

 

“Sasuke?  I assume you are back because you defeated Eikichi?”  Shino is mesmerized, staring deeply into the sharingan even though he knows not to.  Why can’t he look away? Everyone in Konoha knows not to look into the sharingan. 

 

“No,” Sasuke leans closer, their noses almost touching now.  Shino squirms, not enjoying the invasion of his personal space  “I just wanted to warn you,” he presses a kiss to Shino’s cheek (he can’t help but shudder) then whispers into his ear, “Shikamaru is not the friend you think he is.”  He pulls away, the sharingan spinning wildly.

 

“What?” he shakes his head.  “That is impossible. Why? Because he is my friend, and teammate.”  He tries to push Sasuke away further, but finds it impossible. He is close, so close, too close.  The kikaichu buzz just under his skin, eager to take care of the intrusion. So, so eager. They’ve never had Uchiha chakra before.

 

“He’s working for Maita,” Sasuke grabs one of Shino’s hands tightly, eyes wide.  “Why do you think he dropped you? He’s disappointed you didn’t just die that way.  Now he’s lulling you into feeling safe…”

 

They march towards the Uchiha, and now that their hands meet, they have started covering him.  “Sasuke, I cannot control them properly. Please, let go. They’ll leave you alone then.” Does he really want them to stop?   _ Yes, of course.  Sasuke doesn’t mean any harm.  Does Shikamaru though? _

 

Sasuke laughs.  “Will you let them kill me, Shino?” he asks, as if daring him.  

 

“No, I would never,” Shino says, trying to pry his hand away.  He is unsuccessful. The buzzing becomes deafening as the black beetles cover Sasuke entirely, and he hears him scream. 

 

Hands are on him, shaking him.  His eyes open again, and there is Shikamaru.  “You’re okay, Shino. You’re okay.” 

 

“Where is Sasuke?” 

 

Shikamaru frowns.  Why is that Shino’s first concern?  “He went off to find Eikichi, remember?”

 

“But he - he was here,” Shino’s eyes are wide and flickering from side to side.  “I saw him, and then...my kikaichu, they…” he trails off, some tears welling in his eyes.  Shikamaru pulls him into a little hug, careful not to hurt his leg further. 

 

“He wasn’t here.  You didn’t hurt anyone,” he assures, rubbing Shino’s back in an attempt to comfort him.  He’s not really good at this stuff, but no one could say he didn’t try. “The sun is rising...we can keep moving, okay?”

 

Shino nods, his heartbeat steadying a bit.  He rests his chin on Shikamaru’s shoulder, relaxing in his hold.  Right. Shikamaru is here to help. He’s warm, and kind, and Shino could stay here forever.  If he wasn’t in so much pain, he’d probably be really happy to be there. It’s what he’s wanting for so long -  _ leave it to his luck to only get his wish like this. _

 

_Besides, he isn’t the friend you think he is._ Does he really believe that though?  He hesitates for a moment before he squirms out of Shikamaru’s grip.  “Let’s go then,” he says quietly. Shikamaru’s expression shifts into one of hurt for a moment - _liar,_ the voice says \- then he reaches for his pack.  Shino raises his arms defensively when he sees the glint of a kunai (was Shikamaru just going to stab him?  Surely he’s had better opportunities), but he is only met with a confused stare.

 

“Woah, take it easy Shino.  I’m here to help, okay?” Shikamaru offers a smile.  Shino relaxes again, nodding and slipping on his sunglasses.  He takes this as a sign that it’s okay to move him outside before collapsing the tent.  He scoops Shino up into his arms then carefully places him on the ground outside.

 

Shino watches as Shikamaru puts the tent away in his pack, the kikaichu buzzing underneath his skin.  “Thank you, Shikamaru,” he says quietly, coughing into his sleeve again. He feels worse than before, and now that he has to at least be somewhat on his guard, he isn’t sure he can…

 

Shikamaru turns around just as Shino falls back onto the ground.  “Shino!”

 

* * *

 

Their next resting place is closer to Konoha, but not enough for Shikamaru’s liking.    Shino has bled through his bandages, but unfortunately he’s fast asleep and there is a  _ huge  _ hoard of bugs protectively buzzing around him.

 

“Listen, I’m going to level with you here,” Shikamaru is at the point of talking to them now, though he’s not sure how helpful it’ll actually be.  “I’m not going to hurt Shino, okay? His bandages need changed and I really need to get to him. He could die without treatment.”

 

He swears he hears them buzz in response.  Maybe he’s going as nuts as Shino is. He’s pretty sure it has to do with that poison, and part of him wonders how the hell he’s still alive.  Thank goodness he is. “Please?”

 

He watches the sea of kikaichu part, and he breathes a sigh of relief.  “...Thank you.” He kneels beside Shino and he feels his forehead, brow crinkling in concern.  “You’re burning up…” he murmurs, lifting his shirt now. Indeed, the bandages are almost stained black there is so much blood.  Fingers trembling a bit, he removes the soiled ones to get a look at the wound. It’s still leaking some blood, the surrounding skin dark purple.  Definitely poison. Shikamaru groans and he begins wrapping him up again. He winces as he feels some of the beetles biting on his arm - “Hey, I thought we called a truce!” - but he is able to get the job done.  

 

Shino’s eyes flutter open, and the first thing he sees is Shikamaru staring down at him in concern.  “Shikamaru…? What happened?” He tries to sit up and he hisses in pain - his stomach hurts so badly, and with the added pain of his leg, he can hardly think straight.

 

“You fell again,” Shikamaru takes one of Shino’s hands and he gently squeezes it, smiling.  “But I caught you. We’re going to make it to Konoha and get you help, okay?”

 

“Okay.”  Shino nods, resting his head back on the ground. 

 

“I’m going to get you some food,” Shikamaru reluctantly lets go of Shino’s hand then he rummages around in his bag to pull out a jelly sandwich and his canteen.  “Here,” he attempts to hand them to Shino, but his hand is slapped away.

 

“I will not eat that.  Why? Because it’s clearly rotten,” Shino stares at the sandwich and he grimaces.  Perhaps it was purposeful - maybe he doesn’t deserve the good food, because he’s dying anyway.  

 

“What?” Shikamaru examines it closely then he shakes his head.  “It’s fine, I promise,” he assures. “Just eat it. You need to have something, your chakra won’t replenish properly without it.”

 

Shino reluctantly takes the jelly sandwich - he swears he sees hairs sticking out of it, and the bread is practically fuzzy with green mold - then he takes a bite.  He blinks a few times and looks down at the sandwich again. It is in fact completely normal. He finishes it almost momentarily; he hadn’t realized how hungry he was.  “I’m sorry. You were right,” he says, averting his eyes. “I don’t know what came over me.”

 

Shikamaru breathes a sigh of relief - at least Shino is eating - and waves him off.  “You’re sick, and injured, and that poison seems to be pretty noxious stuff. Don’t worry about it.”  He pats Shino’s shoulder lightly. “Take a few more minutes, then we should get going. I’ll be right back.”  

 

Shino watches Shikamaru leave the tent and he takes a sip of water out of the canteen.  He shifts a little, trying to get more comfortable (which, he vaguely realizes, is rather laughable at this point).  The kikaichu are buzzing just under his skin, riled up over something. He frowns and looks around a little, trying to understand.

 

The buzzing grows louder and he feels the panic of his dear insects, his own heart racing now.  There are shadows on the tent, and he understands why his beetles are so panicked now. He focuses on one, little Kororo, and senses her distress as she drowns in sweet, sticky fluid, dissolving in the  _ venus flytrap _ .  He threads his fingers through his hair and grabs onto it, eyes wide with utter terror. 

 

Shikamaru re-enters the tent and he hears Shino shriek.  He rushes over and he grabs both of Shino’s hands (he doesn’t want him to rip his hair out, after all), hoping to calm him down.  “Shino. You’re okay. Take a deep breath for me.”

 

“No, no, all my precious insects, they’re going to be eaten!  The carnivorous plants outside, they’re right by the tent!” He shakes his head, some tears welling in his eyes.  Shikamaru’s brows furrow.

 

“What are you…” he sighs a little then he gently tugs Shino into a hug again.  He pets his hair with one hand, using the other to wipe at his tears. “There isn’t anything here.  You’re fine, so are your insects. I promise. Breathe in…”

 

Shino obliges, inhaling deeply and exhaling once he’s told.  There are no more shadows, and the kikaichu are quiet. He looks at Shikamaru and he feels his cheeks heat up a little.  “...I’m so sorry,” he says, resting his forehead on his shoulder. “I am causing you so much trouble. I don’t understand why you are even taking care of me, it would have been easy to declare me a lost cause.”

 

Shikamaru’s cheeks are bright red and he purses his lips.  “For a smart guy, you’re an idiot,” he mutters, giving Shino a squeeze.  He wants to tell Shino  _ exactly  _ why, but he’s worried he won’t even remember, and that would kind of defeat the purpose of a confession.  Instead, he just presses a kiss to his forehead. “I’ll tell you later. That means you have to keep yourself alive.”

 

Shino gives him a small smile.  “...I suppose I have some more motivation, then.”  The kiss makes his heart flutter a little - hm.

 

* * *

 

 

At first, Shikamaru doesn’t believe his own eyes when he sees Sasuke Uchiha peer into their tent. 

 

“I thought this must be you,” the Uchiha climbs inside.  “How is he doing?”

 

Shikamaru pinches himself - is he hallucinating now too?  Had he somehow touched the poison…?

 

“Earth to Shikamaru?”

 

The pinch hurts.  Guess he really is seeing this.  “...He’s uh…” he isn’t sure whether to answer truthfully.  “...Not good,” he says at last. “The bugs barely let me get to him to patch him up, and now his leg is broken too.  Pretty sure he’s poisoned as well, given his crazy hallucinations. He hasn’t been trusting me much because of them.”

 

“His leg is broken?  How?” Sasuke raises a brow.  The cloud of kikaichu above Shino begins to dissipate now that he is here, much to Shikamaru’s annoyance.  Sasuke sits beside their sleeping companion and he feels his forehead, frowning. “We need to hurry him home, and the broken leg certainly won’t help.”

 

“It’s kind of a long story…”

 

“Shorten it.”

 

Shikamaru sighs, looking away.  “I might have, uh, dropped him from a tree.  Possibly.”

 

“...Possibly,” Sasuke deadpans, levelling a glare.  “Unbelievable. You really wonder why he isn’t trusting you after that?”

 

“It was an accident!” he protests, but he knows the damage is already done.  “I didn’t mean to, I would never purposefully hurt him! I l-” he cuts himself off.  No way, no way would he tell  _ Sasuke Uchiha  _ of all people about the fact that he’s head over fucking heels for Shino Aburame.

 

“Mm…” Judging on Sasuke’s smirk, he already has an idea.  Damnit. 

 

It is this moment that Shino’s eyes open, and he gasps when he sees the Uchiha.  “Sasuke, you’re alive?!” 

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?”  Sasuke asks. He can’t help but stare at Shino’s eyes - this is the first time he’s ever seen them, and he has to admit, they’re...captivating, in a way.  He’s probably being a bit creepy, but that’s hardly stopped him before.

 

“Why?  Because the other night, you were here, and...my kikaichu…” Shino trails off.  “Nevermind.” He rubs his temples - he’s having a hard time discerning what is real and what isn’t.  He wants to believe that Shikamaru is his rock, but...it’s hard to trust him implicitly. Now Sasuke is here too, and he’s pretty sure his hallucinations won’t be clearing up.  Now he’s going to embarrass himself even more... _ great.   _

 

Shikamaru crosses his arms.  “I’m going to go scout ahead,” he grumbles, crawling out of the tent.  Sasuke watches him go, then he makes himself more comfortable next to Shino with the extra room.

 

“I won’t ask how you’re doing, because that would be rather facile,” he says wryly, though he does glance over Shino’s injuries.  “So...the broken leg…”

 

“It was an accident.  I think,” Shino coughs into his arm and he averts his eyes.  “I don’t know. Sometimes I think he’s holding a kunai or something, and ready to kill me.  I can’t tell what’s real and what isn’t…” he wipes the blood off of his chin, eyes sliding shut.

 

Sasuke frowns.  “He’s not trying to kill you, trust me.  Since when has that lazybones ever gone so far to save someone?  He cares about you.” He leans in a little closer. It’s so tempting, he could so easily get even closer for just a little kiss if he really wanted to.

 

Shino looks up at him with tired eyes.  He is nearing the end. It’s a miracle he’s made it this far.  “...are you certain?”

 

Sasuke pulls back.  He is about to respond, but Shikamaru climbs back into the tent first.  “You guys ready?”

 

Shino stares at him with wide eyes.  Shikamaru has blood leaking from his mouth and through his shirt and vest alike.  When he examines him closer, he sees that there is a kunai piercing his heart, still stuck. There’s no way he could survive that.  “Shikamaru!”

 

“Wh-”

 

Shino is able to reach just far enough to grab onto Shikamaru and grasp weakly at his chest.  “What happened? Who attacked you?” he tries to pull the kunai out but he is met with nothing but Shikamaru’s shirt.  He blinks a few times. “But I...I saw it…”

 

Shikamaru normally wouldn’t complain about being felt up like that, but he can see just like Sasuke that Shino can’t hold on much longer.  He clasps Shino’s hands that were still on his chest. “No one attacked me.”

 

“So you’re alright?”

 

“Yes, he’s fine,” Sasuke tries to be assuring, but he’s even worse at it than Shikamaru is.  It almost comes out as a scoff.

 

“You’re...alright.” Shino nods slowly, his eyelids drooping a little.  “Thank...goodness…” he coughs wetly, blood staining his shirt and Shikamaru’s.  “I…” he looks into Shikamaru’s eyes. “...should tell you, before I go…” he murmurs, shoulders sagging a little.

 

Shikamaru and Sasuke glance at each other momentarily, obviously panicked.  “You’re not going anywhere, Shino,” Shikamaru says, a strained smile on his face.  Does he really believe it at this point?  He's not sure.

 

“...I think that I have romantic feelings for you.  That is because…” Shino trails off, coughing again. 

 

“The because doesn’t matter,” Shikamaru interjects, scooping Shino into his arms and tugging him close.  He is on the verge of tears himself and he tells Sasuke to “pack up the tent” he thinks, but his mind isn’t very clear because he knows that  _ he needs to get Shino home,  _ **_now, who cares about the fucking tent._ **

 

Shino doesn’t respond, but he does offer a blood-stained smile.  He reaches up to caress Shikamaru’s cheek, probably getting some blood there too but neither of them care at this point.  He tries to say something, but can’t through the mouthful of blood he spits up. His hand falls to his side and he goes silent, eyes closed.  If it weren't for the dire situation, Shikamaru might marvel at how expressive Shino was being, but it's hardly the time.  He can worry about that later.

 

“I’ll get you home.”

 

He isn’t sure he believes it, but he has to. 

 

* * *

 

Hinata had been eagerly awaiting Shino’s return to the village - she has a surprise for him that she thinks he’ll enjoy.  Key word being  _ had,  _ unfortunately _. _  Now that she is staring at his still frame in Shikamaru’s arms, covered in blood and with the bone of his leg sticking out, she can’t help but let out a blood-curdling screech.  

 

Shikamaru gasps in surprise and to his utter horror and forever shame, he loses his grip on Shino, and he plummets to the ground once again.  There is a thud, and Shikamaru is pretty sure his leg looks even worse. Great.

 

“How could you drop him?” Hinata runs over, byakugan already activated.  “His chakra is so weak, it’s practically gone...” She kneels beside him, swatting Shikamaru away.  “Go get the medical nin!”

 

“Did you drop him again?!” Sasuke chooses the best moment possible to catch up, of course.  He’s leaning lazily on the gate, smirking. They’ve got the attention of many villagers - civilians and ninja alike.   He glares at a man he knows for a fact is a medical nin until he sees him run towards the hospital.

 

“You dropped him already?!” Hinata is looking at him furiously now and Shikamaru groans.  She cradles Shino’s head in her lap, petting his hair. If Shikamaru wasn’t pretty sure that Shino is gay, he might be jealous.

 

“It’s a really long story, and he clearly doesn’t have time for that,” he says, shaking his head.  He tries to get close to Shino again, but she glares at him fiercely.

 

Sasuke snorts, “I’ll tell you later, Hinata.”  

 

She purses her lips.  “Why not now?”

 

“Because-”

 

Their conversation is cut short when they are utterly surrounded by medical nin, all converging on Shino to get him rushed to the hospital, because that's definitely more important.

 

* * *

 

Shikamaru is outside of the hospital, cigarette in his mouth.  He is watching the door rather impatiently - Shino was in critical condition for weeks, and now that he can finally come out, of course he’s being a slowpoke.  He takes a drag of his cigarette and exhales, perking up a little when the door opens.

 

Shino is there, sunglasses on and wearing all of his layers again.  “Shikamaru, I wasn’t sure you’d come,” he smiles and approaches him.  Shikamaru looks down at his leg - he is most definitely limping, Fuck.

 

“Of course I came,” he stamps out his cigarette and rubs the back of his neck.  “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Why?  Because I’m quite certain I was not pleasant to be around while I hallucinated.”

 

Shikamaru waves him off, linking their arms together.  “Don’t worry about it. Not like it was your fault. What do you remember, anyway?”

 

Shino sighs, walking alongside Shikamaru (albeit slowly, he’s not exactly at peak performance at the moment) with a frown.  “Mostly the nightmares,” he admits. “Well - I remember you dropping me, but apparently my leg was even worse. I had a nightmare that you dropped me again near the end, and that’s the last one I properly remember.”

 

_ Shit.   _ “How crazy,” Shikamaru avoids his gaze steadfastly, an awkward grimace on his face.  “...What, aha...what kind of monster would drop his dying teammate not once, but twice?”

 

“What kind indeed…” Shino muses, and Shikamaru can’t tell if he’s being teased or not.  “Can you answer a question?”

 

“Depends on what the question is,” is the response.  

 

“Fair enough…” Shino stays silent for a few moments, then he says, “our closeness, was it real?  Or did I imagine it?”

 

This makes Shikamaru stop in his tracks.  They might be in the middle of the village, but to hell with it.  Shino had practically died in his arms, and if they had a problem with a kiss, they could piss off.  This is too golden of an opportunity (though it’s rather cheesy, and maybe he shouldn’t - no, don’t overthink this).  He smirks. “Let me answer you this way,” he says, tugging Shino down by his coat and pressing a kiss to his lips. It’s short and sweet and to the point.  He’s not a  _ total  _ heathen, he isn’t going to sit here and make out with him in the middle of the street.

 

Shino’s face turns a delightful shade of red.  He tilts his head for a moment before smiling. “I see…”

 

Shikamaru reaches down to entwine their fingers.  “I’ve got some good news for you and some bad news.”  He resumes walking, looking up at the cloudy sky for a few moments.  “The good news is that I’ve been charged with taking care of you for the next few weeks while your leg fully heals.  The bad news is that means you’re stuck with me.”

 

Shino gives his hand a squeeze.  “Just don’t drop me from another tree, and I’m pretty sure you can’t screw up too badly,” he comments wryly, making Shikamaru groan rather dramatically.

 

“It was an accident!”


End file.
